B&B Porta Maiella

It was okay.

For €70, I expected a very different stay. The room had no air conditioning, TV, or internet, and there were no shower or face soaps or even a shower mat. The charging socket was right in the middle of the bed, so it felt like you’d be sleeping with your phone peeking over your head. Breakfast was pretty revolting. The jam jars were open, who knows for how long or how many people had touched them, and they were off-brand. The donuts, plum cakes, and tarts were from the day before and partly eaten. There were also two half-empty milk cartons in the fridge, both open for who knows how long. I only stayed one night. The experience wasn’t entirely terrible, but it was nowhere near what I expected for the price. Never again.

It’s peaceful and well placed at the top of the village, handy for exploring the Maiella area. The rooms were clean, and the owners were kind and helpful. Breakfast isn’t available at the property right now, so you’ll need to get it at the café down in the village. The main issue was the heat at night. There’s no air conditioning, and without mosquito nets we couldn’t leave the windows open. The owners tried to help with a fan, but we still had sleepless nights. If they sort those things out, this could be a very good place.

We paid €50 for a room from August 18th to 25th, which felt very fair. The place is right in the center, practically beside the cathedral, and the rooms are roomy and clean. The owner is really friendly. There’s a shared kitchen where you can eat, plus a barbecue out front and four tables. A very pleasant stay, I’d recommend it.